The best next step is to review the full scenario with a lender who can look at purchase price, rents, DSCR, reserves, and overall leverage together.

So far, I have done the following methods to try and network:- gone to realtor offices around my town and letting them know I'm an investor and gave them my buy box.

Quote from @Alex Holmstrom: Flipping is a great first step..

If house-hacking-as-the-first-step-to-portfolio-building is your jam, I'd love to connect,Thank you,Matt

Once I’ve finalized my preapproval and confirmed my purchasing power, my next step is connecting with an investor focused agent to start touring properties.

Also I put up a porch with a covered roof at the side door instead of just a little step platform with nothing over it, if that might help a bit.Here is some information from the Loan Application we signed at the closing:30 year conventional loan bought 06/18/2020 Loan Amount $95,200 Sale Price $ 112,000 Interest Rate 3.375%Homeowner's Insurance $31.73 per month for 3 mo. $95Mortgage Insurance $21.42 per month for 2 mo. $43Property Taxes $139.08 per month for 5 mo. $695Here is some information from the monthly Loan Statement:Explanation of Amount DuePrincipal 183.82 Interest 237.06 Tax and Insurance 209.34 Regular Monthly Payment $630.22Account InformationInterest Rate 3.375% Principal Balance 84,288.81 T&I Balance 1,177.87 Maturity Date 08/01/50Thank you for any help figuring out how to get lower monthly payments!!

You are learning:• How experienced investors think• What questions lenders ask• How operators structure deals• What mistakes people openly admit toThat pattern recognition transfers to any market.You do not need value to “offer” yetAs a beginner, your value is curiosity and follow through.Most new people show up once and disappear.If you show up consistently, ask intelligent questions, and follow up one on one, that alone separates you.If you move often, think role-based networkingInstead of market based networking, connect by role:• Investor operators• Property managers• Lenders• Agents who work with investors• Out of state investorsThese relationships can exist anywhere.Online networking works if done intentionallyRandom Facebook scrolling is not networking.Targeted interaction is.You can:• Join investor focused groups in 2 or 3 markets you are considering• Reach out to active landlords on BiggerPockets• DM operators and ask specific, thoughtful questions• Set short 15 minute calls with people 1 to 3 steps ahead of youMost investors are surprisingly open if you are respectful of their time.Pick a short list of marketsYour bigger issue is not networking.

That makes sense — a tight radius usually helps with execution and local intel, especially on steps deals.One thing I’ve seen work well in that setup is defining two buy boxes within the same radius:• one optimized for speed/auction certainty, and• a secondary box (MLS or light value-add) that still pencils but gives you flexibility if timing or seasoning slows things down.Keeps capital moving without forcing a deal just to deploy it.

Does this approach make sense as a first step for us?

The numbers we’re seeing: Turnkey duplex~6% cash-on-cashStable rental areaMostly banking on long-term appreciation + buying localSelf-managing  My goals: Learn operations/management hands-onIntroduce tech and systems (property management software, digital leases, automated rent collection, better bookkeeping, etc.)Eventually scale into our own LLC and grow the portfolio  Since this is my first real step into investing, I’d love some feedback from those who’ve been through something similar: Does this seem like a smart way to get started?